The Destiny USA location is the fifth in the WonderWorks series expanding up the East Coast. The attraction has locations in Orlando, Fla., Panama City Beach, Fla., Myrtle Beach, S.C. and Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

We chatted with Todd Buchko, general manager of WonderWorks, about the first year.

Buchko has lived in Syracuse for nine years and previously worked in the hospitality industry. He was the general manager of the Maplewood Inn and, before that, the Genesee Grande.

"It's not that much different," said Buchko, about the change in jobs. "Entertainment is still hospitality. We're here to cater to families of all ages. In hospitality, we cater to our guests. We want to give them the best customer service possible."

7 Questions with Todd Buchko of WonderWorks

KT: How has the first year been? Successful? Bumpy? Was it what you expected?

TB: We had no idea what to expect. It has been exciting and fun. We learned a lot about WonderWorks being inside an indoor facility such as Destiny. The other facilities are stand-alone, in destination locations. This is the first one built inside a mall.

We had people from all 50 states come through our facility this year, as well as many from Canada: Vancouver, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Ottawa and Kingston. It's been a great year and upstate New York has been great for WonderWorks.

WonderWorks Ropes Safety DemonstrationWonderWorks employees were out on the ropes course and below to see if they can be safely be brought down from the course to the floor of the mall. Video by Dennis Nett

KT: What can people expect at this Saturday's celebration?

TB: It's going to be a huge birthday party. The first 100 people who come through will get a T-shirt and goody bag full of discounts from various stores within Destiny. There'll be cupcakes!

Also, every day this week on Facebook, we're giving away four tickets at 3 p.m. On Friday, we're giving away 10 tickets as well. Just a lot of fun things to thank everybody who's visited WonderWorks.

KT: This location is the only one in the Northeast. How is it different from the four other Southern locations?

TB: Those other locations are in major attraction areas. That's obviously a big reason why we came to Syracuse. We saw what Destiny was doing and creating. We saw there was something special here.

We're not totally compared to the other locations. Myrtle Beach is right on the boardwalk. Pigeon Forge sits right on the Smoky Mountains. Panama City is right on the beach and our facility in Orlando is five miles from Disney. They all have specific areas to attract people.

Destiny was a sure fit for us because it was a great opportunity to be part of something new and we saw a vision we wanted to be a part of.

KT: What was the best season for Syracuse WonderWorks?

TB: Our best season is winter because we're inside. I look forward to snow, sleet and rain because people come, looking for something to do. You can shop, eat and be entertained here literally all day.

KT: Do Canadian visitors make up a big part of business?

TB: We have seen that. We're able to track a lot of that information through our system and we've seen they love coming here. It's nothing like they've ever seen before. We're pulling a lot from those different provinces.

Especially when the Canadian holidays are here, they come in droves here. It's kind of part of their holidays, going to Destiny. It's something we've certainly seen grow.

KT: What were the biggest challenges you encountered this past year?

TB: The challenges were waiting for more businesses to open up and getting more people to walk through. More people come into The Canyon area now, because a lot of stores have started to open up. Before, it was just a couple restaurants and us; now it's much busier.

KT: What else do you want the public to know about behind the scenes at WonderWorks?

TB: Just a huge thank you to everybody who supported WonderWorks, who visited us. Lots of teachers have been through our facility. A lot of people don't know WonderWorks is accredited with the Department of Education for K-12. Not only are we fun for families, but it's also an educational learning facility.

All we can say is the support has been overwhelming. We enjoyed being part of Destiny's Canyon expansion and we're looking forward to many years to come.

WonderWorks One-Year AnniversaryWhen: Saturday, November 9 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.Where: WonderWorks on the third level of Destiny USA.How much: 14.99 for an all-day pass. The first 100 people will get a T-shirt and goody bag.